Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/319158
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 28 MAY 2014 News 6 ON the eve of the 2013 general elections, during a quick question- and-answer session, PL leader Joseph Muscat made it clear that he would not "exclude pushbacks". A year later, a party promising to push back migrants gained 6,500 votes. What's going on? Elected in government and fac- ing a spike in arrivals last summer, Muscat came close to honouring his pre-electoral pledge by laying preparations for the pushback of a number of migrants to Libya until he received an injunction from the European Court of Human Rights. Muscat justified his actions by in- sisting that this was a way to make Europe "wake up and smell the cof- fee". The onslaught of vulgar com- ments and racist slurs on Commis- sioner Cecilia Malmstrom's Face- book page and plans for a far right demonstration under the emblem of a Maltese cross remodelled as a swastika – in support of the gov- ernment – were a clear indication that the Prime Minister was play- ing with fire. Muscat immediately saw the danger and condemned the proposed march. Still, the PM continued to play the nationalist card, denying entry to migrants rescued by the Salamis tanker who were left stranded be- tween Malta and Italy for two days before Italy yielded, thus narrowly avoiding a humanitarian catastro- phe. But true to his character, Mus- cat showed enough flexibility to change tack, embarking on close cooperation with Italy to present a common front in Europe over migration, a policy which yielded more results than tantrums, judg- ing by the dip in arrivals over the past months. Italy's decision to take respon- sibility for all migrants in dis- tress following the tragic deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean seemed to clear the way for a more humanitarian approach to the problem. The decline in arriv- als seemed to have taken the wind from Norman Lowell's sails. At the onset of the electoral cam- paign, Muscat went one step fur- ther. While addressing party sup- porters, he called for an end to the detention of child migrants. More than what he said, the most significant aspect was the locality and date chosen for the announce- ment: the Freedom Monument on the occasion of the 35th anniver- sary of Freedom Day. While Muscat was simply prom- ising to enforce a policy which already existed on an issue where Malta is not respecting interna- tional obligations, his speech rep- resented a departure from the dis- course used during the previous year. Unsurprisingly, this part of the speech was met by a muted ap- plause from party supporters. A more humanitarian approach was pushed forward by Muscat's presidential nominee Marie Lou- The pushback legacy: 6,761 'neo-Nazi' voters? PUB L IC C ON SU LT A T ION Launch of the Public Consultation Process on the Environmental Report of the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Operational Programme I financed through the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund (2014 – 2020) The preparations concerning the Operational Programme I for European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund (2014 – 2020) have reached an advanced stage. The general public and interested stakeholders are therefore being invited to provide their feedback on the draft Environmental Report in connection with the Strategic Environmental Assessment prepared to evaluate the likely environmental effects of the draft European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund Operational Programme for Malta (2014 – 2020). In this regard, all interested parties are encouraged to provide their feedback by submitting comments on info.eufunds@gov.mt. The deadline for submitting feedback is the 20 th June 2014. All relevant documentation can be accessed from the EU Funds website (www.eufunds.gov.mt) as from 23 rd May 2014. Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 Investing in Competitiveness for a Better Quality of Life Advert Part-financed by the European Union European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Co-financing rate: 85% EU Funds; 15% National Funds Investing in your future While in Malta a neo-Nazi outfit has continued to make inroads, the result of European elections make common European action on migrations more imperative but less likely. JAMES DEBONO considers the dilemma facing Malta and Europe after this result The onslaught of vulgar comments and racist slurs on Commissioner Cecila Malmstrom's Facebook page, and a planned far right demonstration made it clear that Muscat was playing with fire Norman Lowell